Scotland must reject Keir Starmer's back-sliding on foreign aid

By slashing the aid budget to fund a surge in defence spending, Keir Starmer has made a callous choice. It’s already clear that this decision – which treats the aid budget as a piggy bank that can be raided at will – will have devastating consequences. When aid is cut, lives are lost.

The Prime Minister claims he had no choice but that simply isn’t true. He has chosen to balance the books on the backs of the world’s poorest while shielding the super-rich from fair taxation.

A political choice, not a necessity

We understand that defence spending has become a major concern in our fast-changing world. But the UK Government should have looked in the right places for the extra funds.

After all, there’s no shortage of cash in this country, or world.

Oxfam’s latest analysis shows UK billionaire wealth grew by £35 million a day last year, and globally, billionaires’ fortunes increased by $2 trillion in 2024 alone - that’s roughly $5.7 billion a day.

The world’s 50 richest billionaires have enough wealth to reach the moon if stacked in one-dollar bills: giving them frightening and astronomical influence over our democracies While millions struggle to afford food, shelter, and basic healthcare, we’re on track for five trillionaires within a decade.

But instead of taxing extreme wealth, the UK Government has cut a pot that funds life-saving healthcare, education, and emergency relief for people facing war, famine, and climate disasters.

Yet a tiny 2% tax on those with assets over £10 million - just 0.04% of the UK population - could raise £24 billion a year. Reforming tax rules so that income from stocks and shares is taxed at the same rate as income from work could bring in another £16.7 billion. The money is there. It’s just that this UK Government would rather protect the super-rich than the world’s poorest.

What makes this even worse is that the UK’s aid budget has already been slashed from 0.7% to 0.5% of national income. Instead of “restoring” this budget over time, as per Labour’s manifesto commitment, it’s being raided again, down to just 0.3% by 2027. At the same time, the UK Government continues to divert ‘overseas’ aid to cover asylum costs in the UK.

This all comes as other countries also pull back, with a dangerous race to the bottom on global solidarity.

The truth is that more military spending alone won’t make us safer if we ignore the root causes of instability: poverty, inequality and climate breakdown. True security isn’t just about the size of a country’s defence budget. It’s about building a world where people aren’t forced to flee their homes because of war or hunger. Where children don’t die from preventable diseases. Where communities can rebuild after disasters.

Scotland’s solidarity matters more than ever

Amidst this turmoil, Scotland’s role in global solidarity has never been more vital. The Scottish Government’s aid and development budget may be small in cash terms, but it is hugely significant in what it represents: an unwavering commitment to standing with those in need.

Take Scotland’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund, which gives aid to emergencies and forgotten crises. When disasters strike - whether it’s flooding in Pakistan, famine in East Africa, or conflict in Gaza – Scotland has stepped in. Even as the UK Government turns its back, Scotland must stand firm.

That’s why, ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections, all parties in Scotland must reject the back-sliding on aid.

In a world where the richest are hoarding more than ever, and governments are using aid budgets as political bargaining chips, Scotland must protect its values-led commitment to fairness and solidarity.

A fairer choice is possible

The UK Government’s decision to cut aid isn’t about necessity, it’s about priorities.

But the choice isn’t between security and solidarity. It’s between protecting billionaires or protecting the lives of people in desperate need. Right now, the UK Government is making the wrong choice - turning its back on the global cooperation needed to tackle inequality and build a fairer, safer world for everyone.

Most people in the UK believe in fairness. They don’t want to see extreme wealth hoarded while children go hungry. They don’t believe in turning our backs on people in crisis.

But instead of stepping up, the UK is turning its back on communities facing poverty, conflict and insecurity, further damaging its credibility on the global stage.

Bending to populist pressures may seem like the easy option, but real leadership means standing firm in our commitment to global justice. A safer, more secure world isn’t built by turning inward and abandoning those in need. It’s built by standing up for the values that make us stronger together.

Demand Keir Starmer reverses these harmful aid cuts: write to your MP now: www.oxfam.org.uk/aidcuts

This article originally appeared in The Herald.